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Oregon Capitol Christmas Tree Gets A Temporary Time-Out

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SALEM, Ore. – The huge Christmas tree in the rotunda of the Oregon capitol building is back up again. Crews had to un-decorate and lower the 30-foot Noble Fir Tuesday morning to correct a fairly basic error made when the tree was raised the day before.

You know how when you buy a Christmas tree you’re always warned to slice off a piece of the trunk so the tree can more effectively take in water? Well, someone overlooked that detail for the huge tree that graces the rotunda of the Oregon capitol.

Brian Dally of the Oregon Department of Forestry says when the error was caught, there was just one thing to do.

“The concern was it wasn’t taking on water. And so we want it obviously to last through Christmas. And so we came back, lowered it down, fresh cut it, so it will take on moisture and start drinking.”

A chain saw made for a quick fix, and within minutes the tree was raised back up. Re-decorating took a bit longer, but it was done in plenty of time for the official tree-lighting ceremony this Thursday evening.